Movie bites: Chicken Pot Roast

La Vie En Rose Chicken Pot Roast, by AOIFE MCELWAIN

THE MOVIE

With Marion Cotillard in the lead role, Oliver Dahan’s multi-award winning biopic of French chanteuse Edith Piaf is a moving and poignant insight into the life of a troubled genius. The non-linear portrayal of Piaf’s life takes us through the ups and (more frequent) downs of this musical legend throughout her relatively short life.

THE SCENE

One scene shows Piaf politely answering an interviewer’s simple questions. What’s her favourite colour? Blue. Her favourite food? Pot roast. The Piaf that Cotillard plays in this scene is an older, even frailer incarnation, one who no doubt relished the comfort brought to life by the simplicity of a pot roast.

THE FOOD

La Môme Piaf was the nickname given to Piaf by Louis Leplée, the man who discovered her in a Paris nightclub, played by Gérard Depardieu in the film. It is said he was inspired by her slight frame, which perhaps says something of her appetite. Piaf maintained a vulnerable fragility throughout her life, giving the impression of being in need of nurturing. Which is why we like the idea of cooking her a good pot roast to make her feel better.

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil

Butter

2 chicken legs on the bone skin-on, free-range if possible

1 large potato

2 carrots

1 stick of celery

1 clove of garlic

Salt and pepper

Fresh tarragon

100ml of white wine

500ml of good quality chicken stock

50ml of cream

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees (180 for fan ovens) or Gas Mark 6. Heat a drizzle of olive oil and a modest tablespoon of butter in an oven-proof casserole dish. Once hot, cook the chicken legs on the skin side for five minutes until the skin has browned and crispened.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the potatoes and carrots into bite-sized chunks. Finely chop the celery and garlic clove. Chop the tarragon so you have about a tablespoon.

Once browned, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot and cook for three minutes, stirring constantly. Add back the chicken and pour over the white wine. Simmer for five minutes until the wine has reduced. Pour over the hot chicken stock, add the fresh tarragon leaves, sprinkle with salt and pepper and place uncovered into the hot oven.

After 35 to 40 minutes, remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the chicken legs and check if they’re cooked by piercing them with a sharp knife. If the juices run clear, it’s cooked.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the vegetables from the pot. Set aside with the chicken legs, keeping them warm in the oven. Put the pot back on the hob and reduce down the cooking juices by half. Add the cream and stir well.

Serve the chicken with the vegetables and a generous drizzle of the creamy sauce. Finish off with a sprinkle of freshly chopped tarragon. Best served with a glass of white wine and Edith Piaf playing in the background.

Aoife McElwain is a film fan and food writer. Her blog can be found at icanhascook.wordpress.com